After an open first half where both teams wrestled to get the top hand, it looked almost certain to end 0-0 at the break. But just like that, it fell to Keanu Baccus who took the game into his own hands and fired from distance with almost the last kick of the half.

Although the Mariners weren’t without their chances in the first half and were unlucky not to have a goal themselves. Our two best chances of the opening stanza fell to Mikey McGlinchey and Connor Pain, but both were kept out by Janjetovic.

The first chance came in the fourth minute thanks to a Pain and Matt Millar combo on the right-hand side. McGlinchey’s shot was on target, but blocked at the near post by the unknowing Wanderers keeper.

Pain’’s chance came from the other side when Antony Golec surged forward on the left. His ball found Pain in the box who managed a shot but it was well saved by Janjetovic which meant the Wanderers would have the advantage at half time.

The Mariners came out in the second half and controlled majority of the possession and field position early, pushing for the equaliser. But it was the Wanderers who scored when Sotirio tapped home from point blank range.

Pushing to get themselves back in the game, the Mariners showed fight in the dying stages but couldn’t find the goal to set up a grandstand finish. Millar picked up where he left off in his last two performances, causing havoc with this pace on the right wing.

Next Saturday sees the Mariners travel across the ditch to face Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand.

GOALS:

45 +3’ BACCUS GOAL (1-0): A strike from distance at the end of the first half gave the Wanderers the lead at the break. It was Baccus who’s strike flew in with almost the last kick of the half.

68’ SOTIRIO GOAL (2-0): Sotirio was in the right place at the right time to finish the spoils from a Bruce Kamau long range shot.

Mulvey in the media

“[conceding just before half time] It was a cruel blow,” Mulvey said. “The game can turn on a goal and we had a couple of great chances in the first half. Mikey tried to flick one in at the near post and it bounced off the keeper’s knee before he even knew about it. That’s the kind of break we need right now, and we’re not getting it.

“That was a battle between two teams who are low on confidence. They are the home team, we took the game to them – we were very even in the first half but I thought we dropped off a bit in the second half from our intensity levels.

“I can’t be disappointed with the effort; these players are giving everything they’ve got. There’s no fear factor for us we need to address our deficiencies which we’re doing on a daily basis. We will keep battling away. We lost a close battle today to Western Sydney. We will go back to the drawing board and get ready for the Phoenix.

“We need to look at our squad and determine which players we’re going to bring in.

“We need a confidence builder and that comes from winning a game. It doesn’t get any easier, there is no easy game in the A-League so we need to front up to Wellington next week and really give it to them,” Mulvey said.